Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English)

Surah
Al Fath

Alama Imad ud Din Ibn Kathir

Imam Ahmad recorded from Abdullah bin Mughaffal, who said that
Allah's Messenger recited Surah
Al-Fath on the (day) of the conquest of Makkah, riding on
his she-camel. He recited it in a vibrating and pleasant tone.

Muawiyah (a sub narrator) added:

"Were I not afraid that the people would crowd around me, I
would surely try to imitate and produce his recitation.''

This honorable Surah was revealed after the Messenger of Allah
returned from the area of
Al-Hudaybiyyah, during the month of
Dhul-Qadah, in the sixth
year of Hijrah. This is when
the idolators prevented him from reaching
Al-Masjid Al-Haram to
perform the Umrah he
intended.

They stopped the Prophet from reaching Makkah at that time, but
then were prone to peace negotiations. A peace treaty was
conducted stipulating that the Messenger would return this year
and then come back for Umrah
the following year. The Messenger agreed. However, some of the
Companions disliked these terms, including Umar bin Al-Khattab,
as we will mention in detail, Allah willing, while explaining
this Surah.

After the Prophet slaughtered his sacrificial animals in the
area where he was stopped and headed back to Al-Madinah, Allah
the Exalted and Most Honored revealed this
Surah about what occurred
between him and the idolators.

Allah declared the Al-Hudaybiyyah
peace treaty a manifest victory, because of the benefits peace
would carry and the good results that did originate from it.

Abdullah bin Mas`ud and other Companions said,

"You consider the conquering of Makkah to be
Al-Fath (the victory), while
to us, Al-Fath is the treaty
conducted at Al-Hلudaybiyyah.''

Jabir bin Abdullah said,

"We only considered Al-Fath
to be the day of Hudaybiyyah!''

Al-Bukhari recorded that Al-Bara (bin Azib) said,

"You consider Al-Fath to be
the conquest of Makkah, which was indeed a victory. However, we
consider Al-Fath to be the
pledge of Ar-Ridwan on the
Day of Al-Hudaybiyyah. Then,
we were fourteen hundred with the Messenger of Allah.

Al-Hudaybiyyah
had a well, whose water we consumed, not leaving a drop of water
in it. When the news of what happened reached the Messenger of
Allah, he came towards us and sat on the edge of the well. Then
he asked to be brought a bucket of water and used it for
ablution. He next rinsed his mouth, invoked Allah and poured
that water into the well. Soon after, that well provided us, as
well as our animals, with sufficient water, in whatever amount
of water we wished."

Imam Ahmad recorded that Umar bin Al-Khattab said,

"We were with the Messenger of Allah on a trip, and I asked him
about a matter three times, but he did not answer me. So I said
to myself, `May your mother lose you, O son of Al-Khattab! You
were stubborn in repeating your question three times to the
Messenger of Allah; each time he did not respond to you.' So I
mounted my animal, my camel, and went ahead for fear that a part
of the Qur'an might be revealed in my case. Suddenly, I heard a
caller calling, `O Umar!' So, I went to the Messenger while
fearing that part of the Qur'an was revealed about me. The
Prophet said,

Last night, a Surah was revealed to me that is dearer to me than
this life and all that it contains:

إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِينًا

لِيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا
تَأَخَّرَ ...

Verily, We have given you a manifest victory. That Allah may
forgive you your sins of the past and the future.

Al-Bukhari, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i collected this Hadith from
several chains of narration through Malik, may Allah
grant him His mercy.

Ali bin Al-Madini commented, "This is a good chain of narration
consisting of the scholars of Al-Madinah.''

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik said,

"This Ayah was revealed to the Prophet,
لِيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا
تَأَخَّرَ
(That Allah may forgive you your sins of the past and the
future), on his return from
Al-Hudaybiyyah. The Prophet said,

That He may admit the believing men and the believing women to
Gardens under which rivers flow to abide therein forever. and He
may expiate from them their sins; and that is with Allah supreme
success. (48:5)

This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Mughirah bin Shubah said,

"The Prophet used to pray until both his feet were swollen. He
was asked, `Has not Allah forgiven you all your sins of the past
and of future?'

He said,

أَفَلَا أَكُونُ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا؟

Should I not be a thankful servant?''

The two collectors of the Sahihs collected this Hadith, as well
as, the rest of the Group, except Abu Dawud.

This Ayah is about the treaty at
Al-Hudaybiyyah, which resulted in
greatgoodness, including
people embracing Islam in large crowds and having the chance to
meet each other openly. During that time, the believers preached
to the idolators and thus beneficial knowledge and faith spread
all around.

contains one of the special virtues of the Messenger, and no one
else shares this honor
with him. There is not an authentic Hadith that states that any
person other than the Messenger earned forgiveness for all of
his sins of the past and future on account of performing good
deeds.

This, indeed, is a great honor for the Messenger of Allah, who
fulfilled the requirements
of Allah's obedience, righteousness and straightness at a level
never surpassed by a human being in past generations, nor will
it ever be surpassed in the generations to come. Muhammad is the
perfect human being and the leader and chief of all mankind in
this life and the Hereafter. And since he was, and will always
be, the most obedient of Allah's creation to Him and the most
honoring of Allah's commands and prohibitions, he said when his
she- camel insisted on kneeling down,

حَبَسَها حَابِسُ الْفِيل

He Who stopped the elephant,
has stopped her too. The Prophet then declared,

He it is Who sent down
As-Sakinah
into the hearts of the believers, that they may grow more in
faith along with their faith.

meaning, tranquility.

Qatadah commented,

"Grace into the hearts of the believers'', that is, the
Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, on the Day of
Al-Hudaybiyyah.

The companions were they, who accepted the call of Allah and His
Messenger and obeyed the decisions of Allah and His Messenger.
When their hearts felt content with acceptance and were at
peace, Allah increased their faith, joining it to the faith they
already had.

Al-Bukhari, and other Imams, relied on this Ayah as proof that
faith increases and decreases in the hearts.

Allah the Exalted said next that had He willed, He would have
inflicted defeat on the disbelievers, Allah says;

... وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ...

And to Allah belong the armies of the heavens and the earth,

and had He willed to send only one angel to them, that angel
would have brought destruction to all what they had. However,
Allah the Exalted willed Jihad
and fighting to be established for, and by, the believers for
great wisdom, clear reasons and unequivocal evidences that He
had in all this.

That He may admit the believing men and the believing women to
Gardens under which rivers flow to abide therein forever,

We mentioned the Hadith that Anas narrated in which the
Companions said, "Congratulations, O Allah's Messenger! This
good news is for you, so what good news do we have?''

Allah the Exalted sent down this Ayah,
لِيُدْخِلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن
تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا
(That He may admit the believing men and the believing women to
Gardens under which rivers flow to abide therein forever),
meaning they will remain in Paradise forever,

... وَيُكَفِّرَ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ ...

and He may expiate from them their sins;

Allah will not punish them for their errors and mistakes.
Rather, He will forgive, absolve and pardon them and cover the
errors, grant mercy and appreciate,

Verily, those who give pledge to you, they are giving pledge to
Allah.

Allah the Exalted and Most High said in another Ayah,

مَّنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ

He who obeys the Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allah. (4:80)

Allah said, next,

... يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ ...

The Hand of Allah is over their hands.

meaning, He is with them, hearing their statements and
witnessing their stand, having full knowledge of them inwardly
and outwardly. Therefore, Allah the Exalted was indeed taking
the pledge from them through His Messenger.

Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and
their properties for which theirs shall be the Paradise. They
fight in Allah's cause, so they kill and are killed. It is a
promise in truth, binding on Him in the Tawrah and the Injil and
the Qur'an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? Then
rejoice in the bargain you have concluded. That is the supreme
success. (9:111)

...and whosoever fulfills what the covenants he makes with
Allah, He will bestow on him a great reward. (a generous
reward).

The pledge mentioned here is the pledge of
Ar-Ridwan which was pledged
under a tree, a Samurah, in
the area of Al-Hudaybiyyah.
The number of the Companions who gave their pledge to Allah's
Messenger at that time was either 1,300, 1,400 or 1,500.
However, 1,400 is the better choice.

Hadiths about
the Pledge at Al-Hudaybiyyah

Al-Bukhari recorded that Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be
pleased with him, said,

"We numbered one thousand and four hundred on the day of
Hudaybiyyah.''

Muslim also collected this Hadith.

The Two Sahihs recorded that Jabir said;

"We numbered one thousand and four hundred at that time. The
Messenger placed his hand in the water and it started gushing
forth from between his fingers until everyone had quenched their
thirst.''

Another narration of it mentioned;

The Companions became thirsty on the day of
Al-Hudaybiyyah and the
Messenger of Allah gave them an arrow from his quiver. They took
the arrow, placed it in the well of
Al-Hudaybiyyah and the water gushed out until they all
satisfied their thirst.

Jabir was asked how many of them there were on that day and he
said,

"We were one thousand and four hundred. And had we been a
hundred thousand, that water would still have been sufficient to
satisfy us all.''

In another narration collected in the Two Sahihs, Jabir bin
Abdullah said;

"They were one thousand and five hundred at the time."

Al-Bukhari recorded that;

Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib was asked by Qatadah, "How many were
present for the pledge of Ar-Ridwan?'

Sa`id said, "One thousand and five hundred.''

Qatadah posed, "Jabir bin Abdullah, (may Allah be pleased with
them both), said that they were one thousand and four hundred.''

Sa`id said, "He forgot. He told me that they were one thousand
and five hundred.''

However, Al-Bayhaqi commented,

"This narration testifies that Jabir used to state that they
were one thousand and five hundred, but later on remembered the
true number and said that they were one thousand and four
hundred.''

The Reason
behind conducting the Pledge of Ar-Ridwan

Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said in his book on Sirah:

"The Messenger of Allah beckoned Umar bin Al-Khattab in order to
send him to Makkah, so that he could inform the chiefs of
Quraysh of the Prophet's intent (to perform
Umrah at Makkah).

Umar said,

`O Allah's Messenger! I fear the Quraysh for my being. There are
no longer any chiefs from the tribe of Bani `Adi bin Ka`b
remaining in Makkah who would protect me, in addition, the
Quraysh know my enmity and harshness against them. However, I
could tell you about a man who is mightier than I in Makkah:
Uthman bin Affan. We should send him to Abu Sufyan and the
chiefs of the Quraysh informing them that you did not come to
fight them, but to visit this House and to honor its holiness.'

Uthman left to Makkah. He met Aban bin Sa`id bin Al-`As upon
entering Makkah or just before that. As a result, Aban took
Uthman with him and extended his protection to him so he could
deliver the message of Allah's Messenger.

Uthman indeed went to Abu Sufyan and the chiefs of Quraysh and
imparted the Prophet's message that he was sent with. When
Uthman finished delivering the Prophet's message to them they
said to him,

`If you wish, you can perform Tawaf
around the House.'

Uthman replied, `I would not do that before the Messenger of
Allah gets the chance to perform
Tawaf around it.'

So the Quraysh kept Uthman waiting in Makkah. However, the
Messenger of Allah and the Muslims were told that Uthman had
been killed.''

Ibn Ishaq continued,

"I was told by Abdullah bin Abu Bakr that when news of Uthman's
death was conveyed to him, the Messenger of Allah said,

لَا نَبْرَحُ حَتْى نُنَاجِزَ الْقَوْم

We will not leave until we fight the people.''

Ibn Ishaq continued,

"The Messenger of Allah called the Muslims to give a pledge of
allegiance, resulting in the pledge of
Ar-Ridwan being conducted
under the tree.

Later, people used to say that the Messenger of Allah took the
pledge from them to die. However, Jabir bin Abdullah said,

`The Messenger of Allah did not ask us to give a pledge to die
(or be victorious), but that we would not run away (from
battle).'

The Muslims gave their pledge and none among them held back from
giving it, except Al-Jadd bin Qays from the tribe of Bani
Salamah.

Jabir used to say afterwards, `By Allah, it is as if I am
looking at him now next to the shoulder of his camel taking
refuge behind it, so that the people did not see him.'

Soon afterwards, news came to the Messenger of Allah that the
story of Uthman's death was not true.''

Al-Bukhari recorded that Nafi` said,

"People said that Abdullah bin Umar embraced Islam before Umar,
but this is not true. What happened is that on the Day of
Hudaybiyyah, Umar sent
Abdullah to bring his horse that he kept with a man from
Al-Ansar, so he could use it to fight. The Messenger of Allah
was then taking the pledge from the Muslims under the tree while
Umar was unaware. So, Abdullah conducted his pledge and fetched
the horse and brought it to Umar, who was wearing his armor in
preparation for battle. Abdullah told Umar that the Messenger of
Allah was accepting the pledge under the tree. Umar proceeded
with Abdullah and gave his pledge to the Messenger of Allah.
This is why some people thought that Abdullah bin Umar embraced
Islam before Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both.''

Al-Bukhari also recorded Ibn Umar saying;

that, the people who were with the Messenger of Allah scattered
under the shade of trees. Suddenly, the people gathered around
the Prophet and Umar said,

"O Abdullah! Investigate why the people are gathering around
Allah's Messenger.''

Ibn Umar found the people giving their pledge. He gave his
pledge, then went back and told Umar, who also went and gave his
pledge.

In a Hadith collected by Muslim, Jabir bin Abdullah said,

"On the day of Al-Hudaybiyyah,
we were one thousand and four hundred. We gave the pledge of
allegiance to the Prophet while Umar was holding the Prophet's
hand under the tree, which was a
Samurah (a kind of thorny tree). We gave the pledge to
him not to run away (from battle). We did not give the pledge to
die.''

Muslim recorded that Ma`qil bin Yasar, may Allah be pleased with
him, said,

"On the day of the Tree, while the Prophet was taking the pledge
from the people, I was holding a branch of that tree away from
his head. We were fourteen hundred. We did not give him our
pledge to die, but gave the pledge not to run from battle.''

However, Al-Bukhari recorded that Salamah bin Al-Akwa, may Allah
be pleased with him, said,

"I gave the pledge to the Messenger of Allah under the tree.''

Yazid asked him, "O Abu Maslamah, to what did you pledge at that
time''

Salamah said, "To die!''

Al-Bukhari also collected a Hadith from Salamah bin Al-Akwa that
he said,

"I gave my pledge to the Messenger of Allah on the day of
Hudaybiyyah. I stood to the
side and the Messenger said,

يَا سَلَمَةُ أَلَا تُبَايِعُ؟

Why not give the pledge, O Salamah?

and I said, `I did.'

He said,
َقْبِلْ فَبَايِع
Come and give pledge.

I
went close to him and gave him my pledge.'''

Salamah was asked, "What was the pledge that you gave then, O
Salamah''

Salamah said, "To die.''

Muslim collected this Hadith as well, while Al-Bukhari collected
from Abbad bin Tamim that the pledge they gave was to die.

Al-Bayhaqi recorded that Salamah bin Al-Akwa, may Allah be
pleased with him said,

"We went to Al-Hudaybiyyah
with the Messenger of Allah, and we numbered fourteen hundred at
that time. We reached the well and found around fifty sheep
drinking from it, but its water was barely sufficient for them.
The Messenger of Allah sat on its rim, invoked Allah and spat in
the well and its water gushed out. We made our animals drink
from it and also drank from it. Next, the Messenger of Allah
called the people to give the pledge when he was under the tree,
and I was among the first to give the pledge to him. The
remaining people then started giving the pledge. When about half
the people have given the pledge, the Messenger said to me,

بَايِعْنِي يَا سَلَمَة

Give me the pledge, O Salamah!

I
said, `O Allah's Messenger! I have already pledged my pledge in
the first group of people.'

He said,
وَأَيْضًا
Do it again.

So I pledged my pledge again. He also saw that I was not wearing
any armor and gave me some.

He went on accepting the pledge from the people. When they were
about to finish, he said,

أَلَا تُبَايِـــعُ يَا سَلَمَةُ؟

Will you not give me your pledge, O Salamah!

I
said, `O Allah's Messenger! I have given you the pledge in the
beginning and the middle. '

He said,
وَأَيْضًا
Do it again.

I
gave him my pledge for a third time.

The Messenger of Allah asked me,

يَا سَلَمَةُ أَيْنَ حَجَفَتُكَ أَوْ دَرَقَتُكَ الَّتِي
أَعْطَيْتُكَ؟

Where is the armor that I gave you O Salamah?

I
said, `O Allah's Messenger! `Amir met me and I found that he did
not have a shield, so I gave it to him.'

You are just like the man of old times who said, `O Allah! Give
me a dear person who is dearer to me than myself!'

Then the idolators of Makkah sent a delegation asking for a
peace treaty, and we agreed to make peace.

I
used to work for Talhah bin Ubaydullah, may Allah be pleased
with him, by providing water for his horse. For taking care of
it, Talhah gave me a portion of his food. I had left my family
and wealth and migrated to Allah and His Messenger (so I was
poor).

After the people of Makkah and us conducted peace and were
freely mingling with each other, I went by a tree, removed its
thorny branches and rested under its shade. Four of the
idolators of Makkah stood close to me and started mentioning the
Messenger of Allah in an improper way and I hated being close to
them. So, I moved under the shade of another tree. They hanged
their weapons and rested under it. Meanwhile, a caller shouted
these words from the bottom of the valley,

`O Emigrants! Ibn Zunaym was killed,'

so I held my sword and went after the four idolators. They were
asleep, so I took possession of their weapons and held them in
my hand, saying,

`By He Who has honored the face of Muhammad, if any one of you
raises his head, I will strike that which holds his eyes!'

I
brought them to the Messenger of Allah, while my uncle Amir
brought another man, an idolator, whose name was Mikraz, and I
and my uncle brought the men to the Messenger of Allah. The
number of captured idolators swelled to seventy. The Messenger
of Allah looked at them and said,

دَعُوهُمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ بَدْءُ الْفُجُورِ وَثِنَاه

Let them go, for theirs will be the initiation of hostilities
and its burden.

The Messenger of Allah forgave them and Allah the Exalted and
Most Honored said,

And He it is Who has withheld their hands from you and your
hands from them in the midst of Makkah, after He had made you
victors over them. (48:24)

Muslim collected a narration that is the same or similar.

The Two Sahihs recorded that Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said,

"My father was among those who gave the pledge to the Messenger
of Allah under the tree. He said, `In the following year, we
went for Hajj and we could
not find the tree.' Therefore, if you know where that tree is,
then you have more knowledge!''

Abu Bakr Al-Humaydi recorded that Jabir said,

"When the Messenger of Allah called the people to the pledge, we
found a man from our tribe whose name is Al-Jadd bin Qays,
hiding under the shoulder of his camel.''

Muslim collected this Hadith.

Al-Humaydi also recorded that `Amr said that he heard Jabir say,

"On the day of Hudaybiyyah,
we were one thousand and four hundred and the Messenger of Allah
said to us,

أَنْتُمْ خَيْرُ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ الْيَوْم

Today, you are the best people on the earth.

Jabir went on saying, "If I still had my sight, I would have
shown you the tree.''

Sufyan commented that the Companions later on differed over the
location of the tree of
Al-Hudaybiyyah; the Two Sahihs collected this statement
from him.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Jabir said that the Messenger of Allah
said,

لَا يَدْخُلُ النَّارَ أَحَدٌ مِمَّنْ بَايَعَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَة

None among those who gave the pledge under the tree shall enter
Hellfire.

Abdullah bin Imam Ahmad recorded that Jabir said that the
Messenger of Allah said,

You lie, he shall never enter the Fire; he participated in
Badr and
Al-Hudaybiyyah.

This is why Allah the Exalted said while praising these
Companions,
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ اللَّهَ
يَدُ اللَّهِ

Verily, those who give pledge to you, they are giving pledge to
Allah. The Hand of Allah is over their hands. Then whosoever
breaks his pledge breaks it only to his own harm; and whosoever
fulfills whatever covenant he has made with Allah, He will
bestow on him a great reward.

Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they gave the
pledge to you under the tree, He knew what was in their hearts,
and He sent down tranquility upon them, and He rewarded them
with a near victory. (48:18)

Allah informs His Messenger of the excuses that the Bedouins who
lagged behind would offer him, those Bedouins who preferred to
remain in their homes and possessions and did not join the
Messenger of Allah.

They offered an excuse for lagging behind, as that of being busy
-- in their homes and with their wealth! They asked the
Messenger of Allah to invoke Allah to forgive them, not because
they had faith in the Prophet and his invocation, but to show
off and pretend.

Say: "Who then has any power at all (to intervene) on your
behalf with Allah, if He intends you hurt or intends you
benefit?''

Allah says, none can resist what Allah has decided in your case,
all praise and honor belong to Him. Allah is the Knower of your
secrets and what your hearts conceal, even if you pretend and
choose to be hypocritical with us.

Nay, but you thought that the Messenger and the believers would
never return to their families,

`for your lagging behind was not an excusable act or just a sin.
Rather, your lagging behind was because of hypocrisy and because
you thought that the Muslims would be killed to the extent of
extermination, their lives would be extinguished and none of
them will ever come back,'

Those who lagged behind will say, when you set forth to take the
spoils, "Allow us to follow you.''

Allah characterizes the Bedouins who lagged behind the Messenger
of Allah during the Umrah of
Hudaybiyyah, saying that
when the Prophet and his Companions later went on to conquer
Khyber, the Bedouins asked them to take them along. They were
hoping to collect war booty, having been absent when it was time
to fight the enemy and enduring with patience therein. Allah the
Exalted ordered His Messenger to refuse to give them permission
to accompany him, being a punishment that is similar to their
error.

Allah has promised those who were present at
Al-Hudaybiyyah to earn
Khyber's war spoils alone, not shared in that with the Bedouins
who lagged behind. Therefore, the legislation that Allah gave in
this regard was joined to the destiny that He decided, occurring
just as He decided.

Allah's statement,

... يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُبَدِّلُوا كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ...

They want to change Allah's Words,

(which refers to the promise that Allah gave those who were
present at Al-Hudaybiyyah),

according to the explanation reported from Mujahid, Qatadah,
Juwaybir and which Ibn Jarir preferred.

Allah said,

... قُل لَّن تَتَّبِعُونَا كَذَلِكُمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ مِن قَبْلُ
...

Say: "You shall not follow us; thus Allah has said beforehand.''

i.e. `when He promised the participants of
Al-Hudaybiyyah before you
asked to join them,'

... فَسَيَقُولُونَ بَلْ تَحْسُدُونَنَا ...

Then they will say: "Nay, you envy us.''

i.e. `you do not want us to share the war spoils with you,'

... بَلْ كَانُوا لَا يَفْقَهُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
﴿١٥﴾

Nay, but they understand not except a little.

i.e. the truth is nothing close to what they claimed, but they
understand not.

Say to the Bedouins who lagged behind: "You shall be called to
fight against a people given to great warfare, then you shall
fight them, or they shall surrender.

Scholars of Tafsir differ over who the people mentioned here
are. They are people experienced at warfare who will be called
to fight.

There are many opinions,

-first, they are the tribe of Hawazin, as Shu`bah narrated
from Abu Bishr from Sa`id bin Jubayr, or Ikrimah, or both of
them.

Hushaym narrated this explanation from Abu Bishr, from both
Sa`id bin Jubayr and Ikrimah.

Qatadah, as narrated from him in one version, held the same
view.

-The second view is that these people are the tribe of
Thaqif, according to Ad-Dahhak.

-The third view is that they are Banu Hanifah, according
to Juwaybir and Az-Zuhri, as Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated from
him.

Similar was narrated from Sa`id bin Jubayr and Ikrimah.

-The fourth opinion is that they are the Persians,
according to Ali bin Abi Talhah who reported that from Abdullah
bin Abbas.

This is also the view of Ata', Mujahid, and Ikrimah.

-Ka`b Al-Ahbar said that they are the Romans, while Ibn
Abi Layla, Ata, Al-Hasan and Qatadah -- in a different narration
from him, said that they are the Persians and Romans.

Mujahid also said that they are the idolators.

In another narration Mujahid said, "They are men given to great
warfare,'' and did not specify any particular people. This last
explanation is the view preferred by Ibn Jurayj and Ibn Jarir.

Allah's statement,

... تُقَاتِلُونَهُمْ أَوْ يُسْلِمُونَ ...

Then you shall fight them, or they shall surrender.

means, `you are called to fight them in
Jihad, through constant
warfare, until you become victorious over them or they
surrender. Or, they will embrace your religion without a fight,
but with their full consent.'

Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said next,

... فَإِن تُطِيعُوا ...

Then if you obey,

i.e. `if you accept the call to
Jihad and prepare for it and fulfill your duty in this
regard,'

No blame or sin is there upon the blind, nor is there sin upon
the lame, nor is there sin upon the sick.

Allah then mentions the legal reasons that allow one to be
excused from joining the Jihad,
such as blindness and being lame, and various illnesses that
strike one and are remedied in few days. When one is ill, he is
allowed to remain behind and will have a valid excuse to do so,
until his illness ends.

Allah the Exalted and Most honored then said, while ordaining
joining the Jihad and
obeying Allah and His Messenger,

Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they gave the
pledge to you under the tree,

Allah declares that He is pleased with the believers who gave
the pledge to the Messenger of Allah under the tree. We
mentioned the number of these believers as being one thousand
and four hundred and that the tree was a
Samurah tree, located in the
area of Hudaybiyyah.

Al-Bukhari narrated from Tariq that Abdur-Rahman said,

"I went on Hajj and passed
by people praying and asked, `What is this
Masjid'

They said, `This is the tree where the Messenger of Allah took
the pledge of Ar-Ridwan.'

So, I went to Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib and told him. Sa`id said,

`My father told me that he was among those who gave their pledge
to the Messenger of Allah under the tree. My father said:

The following year, when we went out, we forgot its place and
could not agree which tree it was.'

Sa`id said, `The Companions of Muhammad forgot where the tree
was, but you know where it is. Therefore, you have better
knowledge than them!'''

and He sent downAs-Sakinah,
(calmness and tranquility), upon them,
and He rewarded them with a near victory.

i.e. in reference to the goodness that Allah the Exalted and
Most Honored caused to happened to the Companions on account of
the peace treaty between them and their disbelieving enemies.
Ever after that, the Companions gained abundant, general and
continuous benefits and accomplishments, leading to the conquest
of Khyber and Makkah and then the various surrounding provinces
and areas. They earned tremendous glory, triumphs and an
elevated and honorable status in this life and in the Hereafter,

Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas said,فَعَجَّلَ
لَكُمْ هَذِهِ
(and He has hastened for you this), means,

"The peace treaty of Al-Hudaybiyyah.''

Allah said,

... وَكَفَّ أَيْدِيَ النَّاسِ عَنكُمْ ...

and He has restrained the hands of men from you,

meaning, `no harm that your enemies had planned against you,
both fighting and warfare, touched you. Allah also restrained
the hands of men, whom you left behind close to your families
and children, from harming them,'

... وَلِتَكُونَ آيَةً لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ...

that it may be a sign for the believers,

with which they take heed and understand.

Verily, Allah the Exalted and Most Honored shall help and
protect the believers against all enemies, even though the
believers are few in number. By doing so, the believers will
come to know that Allah is truly the Knower of the consequences
of all matters and that the best decisions are those which He
prefers for His believing servants, even though these decisions
might look unfavorable outwardly,

وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ

It may be that you dislike a thing that is good for you.
(2:216).

Allah said,

... وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ صِرَاطًا مُّسْتَقِيمًا
﴿٢٠﴾

and that He may guide you to the straight path.

i.e. on account of your obeying His commands and adhering by His
orders by following the path of His Messenger ,

Good News of
continuous Muslim Victories until the Day of Resurrection

And other (victories) which are not yet within your power;
indeed Allah encompasses them. And Allah is Ever Able to do all
things.

Meaning, there are other war spoils and victories to come which
are not within your grasp now. However, Allah will make them
within your reach and indeed He compasses all these victories
for your benefit.

Surely, Allah the Exalted provides provisions and sustenance for
His servants who have Taqwa,
from resources they could never imagine.

Scholars of Tafsir differ over the reference to other war spoils
mentioned here.

Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas said that it refers to the
conquest of Khyber.

This meaning is sound according to the Ayah,
فَعَجَّلَ لَكُمْ هَذِهِ
(and He has hastened for you this), which refers to the treaty
of Al-Hudaybiyyah.

Qatadah said that this part of the Ayah refers to the conquest
of Makkah, and this opinion was preferred by Ibn Jarir.

Ibn Abi Layla and Al-Hasan Al-Basri said that it refers to
victories over the Persians and the Romans, while Mujahid said
that it refers to every victory and all spoils of war, until the
Day of Resurrection.

Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Ibn Abbas commented on the
Ayah,
وَأُخْرَى لَمْ تَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهَا قَدْ أَحَاطَ اللَّهُ بِهَا,
"These are the victories that are continuing until this day.''

Had Makkah's
Disbelievers fought at Al-Hudaybiyyah, They would have retreated
in Defeat

And if those who disbelieve fight against you, they certainly
would have turned their backs; then they would have found
neither a protector nor a helper.

Allah the Exalted and Most Honored delivers the glad tidings to
His believing servants that had the idolators fought them, Allah
would have given victory to His Messenger and His faithful
servants. Then, the army of the disbelievers would have been
defeated and would have deserted the battlefield and fled. They
would not have found any helper or supporter, because they were
fighting Allah, His Messenger and His Faithful Party.

That has been the way of Allah already with those who passed
away before. And you will not find any change in the way of
Allah.

means this is the way Allah deals with His creation. Whenever
faith and disbelief meet at any distinguishing juncture, Allah
gives victory to faith over disbelief, raises high truth and
destroys falsehood. For instance, Allah the Exalted helped His
loyal faithful supporters during the battle of
Badr and they defeated His
idolator enemies, even though the Muslims were few in number and
lightly armed, while the idolators were large in number and
heavily armed.

And He it is Who has withheld their hands from you and your
hands from them in the midst of Makkah, after He had made you
victors over them. And Allah is Ever the All-Seer of what you
do.

Allah the Exalted reminds His faithful servants of His favor
when He restrained the hands of the idolators, and thereby, no
harm touched the Muslims from the idolators. Allah restrained
the hands of the believers and they did not fight the idolaters
near Al-Masjid Al-Haram.
Rather, Allah saved both parties from battle and brought forth a
peace treaty that produced good results for the believers, in
addition to, earning them the good end in this life and the
Hereafter.

We stated a Hadith from Salamah bin Al-Akwa` in which he
narrated that when the Muslims brought forth those seventy
idolator prisoners, they tied and paraded them before the
Messenger of Allah, who looked at them and said,

أَرْسِلُوهُمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ بَدْءُ الْفُجُورِ وَثِنَاه

Release them, so that they earn the burden of starting
hostilities and its infamy.

Thereafter, Allah the Exalted and Most Honored sent down this
Ayah about that incident,
وَهُوَ الَّذِي كَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ عَنْهُم
(And He it is Who has withheld their hands from you and your
hands from them...).

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik said,

"On the day of Hudaybiyyah, eighty armed men from Makkah went
down the valley coming from Mount At-Tan`im to ambush the
Messenger of Allah. The Messenger invoked Allah against them,
and they were taken prisoners.''

48:26 When those who disbelieve had put in their hearts
pride and haughtiness -- the pride and haughtiness of
the time of ignorance, -- then Allah sent down His
calmness and tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the
believers,

i.e. `even though you are its people and more worthy of being
responsible for it,'

... وَالْهَدْيَ مَعْكُوفًا أَن يَبْلُغَ مَحِلَّهُ ...

and detained the sacrificial animals, from reaching their place
of sacrifice.

i.e. they prevented, because of transgression and stubbornness,
the sacrificial animals from being reached to the place where
they would be slaughtered. There were seventy sacrificial camels
designated for sacrifice, as we will mention, Allah willing.

Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said,

... وَلَوْلَا رِجَالٌ مُّؤْمِنُونَ وَنِسَاء مُّؤْمِنَاتٌ ...

Had there not been believing men and believing women,

i.e. `living among the Makkans hiding their faith for fearing
for their safety from the pagans. Otherwise, We would have given
you authority over the Makkans and you would have killed them to
the brink of extermination. However, there were some faithful
believers, men and women, living among them, about whom you had
no knowledge of being believers and you might try to kill them.'

and they were well entitled to it and worthy of it. And Allah is
the All-Knower of everything.

The Hadiths
that tell the Story of Al-Hudaybiyyah and the Peace Treaty that
followed

Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy with him, recorded in his Sahih
in `Book of Conditions' that Al-Miswar bin Makhramah and Marwan
bin Al-Hakam, both narrated attesting to the truthfulness of the
other,

"Allah's Messenger set out at the time of
Al-Hudaybiyyah
with several hundred of his Companions. When he reached
Dhul-Hulayfah, he had the
sacrificial animals garlanded and marked and resumed the state
of Ihram for
Umrah. He then sent several
men from the tribe of Khuza`ah to gather news for him and then
he proceeded. When he arrived at a village called Al-Ashtat, his
advance regiment came back and said,

`The Quraysh have gathered their forces against you, including
Al-Ahabish tribes. They are intent on fighting you, stopping
you, and preventing you.'

Khalid bin Al-Walid is leading the cavalry of Quraysh forming
the front of the army, so take the path on the right.

By Allah, Khalid did not perceive the arrival of the Muslims
until the dust arising from the march of the Muslim army reached
him, then he turned back hurriedly to inform the Quraysh.

The Prophet went on advancing until he reached the
Thaniyyah (i.e., a
mountainous way) through which he could reach them. The
she-camel of the Prophet sat down. The people tried their best
to cause her to rise, but it was in vain. So, they said,

By the Name of Him in Whose Hands is my soul, if they ask me
anything which will respect the ordinances of Allah, the
Exalted, I will grant it to them.

The Prophet then rebuked the she-camel and she got up. The
Prophet changed his direction, until he dismounted at the
farthest end of Al-Hudaybiyyah.

There was a pit containing a little water which the people used
in small amounts, and after a short time the people exhausted
all its water and complained of thirst to Allah's Messenger.

The Prophet took an arrow out of his quiver and ordered them to
put the arrow in the pit. By Allah, the water started flowing
and continued sprouting until all the people quenched their
thirst and returned satisfied.

While they were still in that state, Budayl bin Warqa'
Al-Khuza`i came with some people from his tribe, Khuza`ah. They
were the advisers of Allah's Messenger who would keep no secret
from him and were from the people of Tihamah. Budayl said,

`I left (the tribes of) Ka`b bin Lu'ay and `Amir bin Lu'ay
residing at the abundant water of
Al-Hudaybiyyah. They had milk camels with them, intending
to wage war against you and prevent you from visiting the
Ka`bah.'

We have not come to fight anyone, but to perform
Umrah.
No doubt, war has weakened Quraysh and they have suffered great
losses. So if they wish, I will conclude a truce with them,
during which they should refrain from interfering between me and
others. If I have victory over those infidels, Quraysh will have
the option to embrace Islam as the other people do, if they
wish. They will at least get strong enough to fight. But if they
do not accept the truce, by Allah in Whose Hands my life is, I
will fight with them defending my cause until I get killed, but
(I am sure) Allah will definitely make His cause victorious.

Budayl said, `I will inform them of what you have said.'

So, he set off until he reached Quraysh and said, `We have come
from that man whom we heard saying something which we will
disclose to you, if you should like.'

Some of the fools among the Quraysh shouted that they were not
in need of this information, but the wiser among them said,
`Relate what you heard him saying.'

Budayl said, `I heard him saying such and such,' relating what
the Prophet had told him.

Urwah bin Mas`ud stood up and said, `O people! Aren't you the
sons?'

They said, `Yes.'

He added, `Am I not the father?'

They said, `Yes.'

He said, `Do you mistrust me?'

They said, `No.'

He said, `Don't you know that I invited the people of Ukaz for
your help, and when they refused I brought my relatives and
children and those who obeyed me?'

They said, `Yes.'

He said, `Well, this man has offered you a reasonable proposal,
it is better for you to accept it and allow me to meet him.'

They said, `You may meet him.'

So, he went to the Prophet and started talking to him. The
Prophet said the same to him as he had to Budayl bin Warqa.

Then Urwah said, `O Muhammad! Won't you feel any qualms by
exterminating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone
among the Arabs annihilating his relatives before you? On the
other hand, if the reverse should happen, by Allah, I do not see
dignified people here, but people from various tribes who would
run away leaving you alone.'

Hearing that, Abu Bakr verbally abused him and said, `Go suck
Al-Lat's womb! Are you saying we would run and leave the Prophet
alone?'

Urwah said, `Who is that man?'

They said, `He is Abu Bakr.'

Urwah said to Abu Bakr, `By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were
it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not
compensate, I would rebuke you.'

Urwah kept on talking to the Prophet and seizing the Prophet's
beard as he was talking, while Al-Mughirah bin Shu`bah was
standing near the head of the Prophet, holding a sword and
wearing a helmet. Whenever Urwah stretched his hand towards the
beard of the Prophet, Al-Mughirah would hit his hand with the
handle of the sword and say, `Remove your hand from the beard of
Allah's Messenger.'

As regards to your Islam, I accept it, but as for the property I
do not take anything of it.

Urwah then started looking at the Companions of the Prophet. By
Allah, whenever Allah's Messenger spat, the spittle would fall
in the hand of one of them, who would rub it on his face and
skin. If he ordered them, they would carry his orders
immediately, if he performed ablution, they would struggle to
take the remaining water, and when they spoke to him, they would
lower their voices and would not look at his face constantly out
of respect.

Urwah returned to his people and said,

`O people!

By Allah, I have been to the kings and to Caesar, Khosrau and
An-Najashi. Yet, by Allah! I have never seen any of them
respected by his courtiers, as much as, Muhammad is respected by
his companions.

By Allah, if he spat, the spittle would fall into the hand of
one of them and he would rub it on his face and skin. If he
ordered them, they would carry out his order immediately, if he
performed ablution, they would struggle to take the remaining
water, and when they spoke, they would lower their voices and
would not look at his face constantly out of respect. No doubt,
he has presented to you a good reasonable offer, so please
accept it.'

A
man from the tribe of Bani Kinanah said, `Allow me to go to
him,' and they allowed him. When he approached the Prophet and
his Companions, Allah's Messenger said,

He is so-and-so who belongs to the tribe that respects the
sacrificial camels. So, bring the sacrificial camels before him.

So, the sacrificial camels were brought before him and the
people received him while they were reciting
Talbiyah. When he saw that
scene, he said, `Glorified is Allah! It is not fair to prevent
these people from visiting the
Ka`bah.'

When he returned to his people, he said, `I saw the sacrificial
camels garlanded and marked. I do not think it is advisable to
prevent them from visiting the
Ka`bah.'

Another person called Mikraz bin Hafs stood up and sought their
permission to go to Muhammad, and they allowed him, too. When he
approached the Muslims, the Prophet said,

هَذَا مِكْرَزٌ وَهُوَ رَجُلٌ فَاجِر

Here is Mikraz and he is a vicious man.

Mikraz started talking to the Prophet and as he was talking,
Suhayl bin `Amr came.''

Ma`mar said that Ayyub said to him that Ikrimah said,

"When Suhayl bin `Amr came, the Prophet said,

قَدْ سَهُلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُم

Now the matter has become easy for you.''

Ma`mar said that Az-Zuhri narrated,

"When Suhayl bin `Amr came, he said to the Prophet, `Please
conclude a peace treaty with us.'

So, the Prophet called Ali bin Abi Talib and said to him,

اكْتُبْ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيم

Write: In the Name of Allah,
Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim.

Suhayl bin `Amr said, `As for
Ar-Rahman, by Allah, I do not know what it means. So
write: By Your Name, O Allah, as you used to write previously.'

The Muslims said, `By Allah, we will not write except: By the
Name of Allah, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim.'

The Prophet said,

اكْتُبْ بِاسْمِكَ اللْهُم

Write: "In Your Name O Allah.''

Then he dictated,

هذَا مَا قَاضَى عَلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ الله

This is a peace treaty, which Muhammad, Allah's Messenger has
concluded.

Suhayl said, `By Allah, if we knew that you are Allah's
Messenger, we would not prevent you from visiting the
Ka`bah, and would not fight
with you. So, write: Muhammad bin Abdullah.'

Indeed, he is Allah's Messenger and he does not disobey his
Lord, and He will make him victorious. Adhere to him for, by
Allah, he is on the right path.'

I
said, `Was he not telling us that we would go to the
Ka`bah and perform
Tawaf around it?'

He said, `Yes, but did he tell you that you would go to the
Ka`bah this year?'

I
said, `No.'

He said, `You will go to the Ka`bah
and perform Tawaf around
it.'

Az-Zuhri said,

"Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, `I performed many
good deeds as expiation for the improper questions I asked
them.'''

When the writing of the peace treaty was concluded, Allah's
Messenger said to his Companions,

قُومُوا فَانْحَرُوا ثُمَّ احْلِقُوا

Get up and slaughter your sacrifices and have your heads shaved.

By Allah none of them got up, and the Prophet repeated his order
thrice. When none of them got up, he left them and went to Umm
Salamah and told her of the people's attitudes towards him. Umm
Salamah said,

`O Prophet of Allah!

Do you want your order to be carried out Go out and don't say a
word to anybody until you have slaughtered your sacrifice and
call your barber to shave your head.'

The Messenger of Allah went out and did not talk to anyone until
he did what she suggested, slaughtered the sacrifice and shaved
his head.

Seeing that, the Companions got up, slaughtered their
sacrifices, and started shaving the heads of one another. There
was so much of a rush -- and sadness -- that there was a danger
of killing each other. Then some believing women came and Allah
the Exalted and most Honored revealed the following Ayat,

O you who believe! When believing women come to you as
emigrants, examine them; Allah knows best as to their faith,
then if you ascertain that they are true believers, send them
not back to the disbelievers. They are not lawful for the
disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful for them. But give
them (disbelievers) that which they have spent (on their dowry).
And there will be no sin on you to marry them if you have paid
their due to them. Likewise do not keep the disbelieving women
as wives ... (60:10)

Umar then divorced two of his wives, who were disbelievers.
Later on Mu`awiyah bin Abu Sufyan married one of them, and
Safwan bin Umayyah married the other.

When the Prophet returned to Al-Madinah, Abu Basir, a new Muslim
convert from the Quraysh, came to him. The disbelievers sent two
men in pursuit who said to the Prophet,

`Abide by the promise you gave us.'

So, the Prophet handed him over to them. They took him out (of
Al-Madinah) until they reached Dhul-Hulayfah where they
dismounted to eat some dates they had with them. Abu Basir said
to one of them, `By Allah, O, so-and-so, I see you have a fine
sword.'

The other drew it out (of its sheath) and said, `Yes, by Allah,
it is very fine and I have tried it many times.'

Abu Basir said, `Let me have a look at it.'

When the other gave the sword to Abu Basir, he struck him with
it until he died. His companion ran away until he reached
Al-Madinah, entering the Masjid running.

When Allah's Messenger saw him he said,
لَقَدْ رَأَى هذَا ذُعْرًا
(This man appears to have been frightened).

When he reached the Prophet he said, `My companion has been
murdered, by Allah, and I would have been murdered too.'

Abu Basir came and said, `O Allah's Messenger, by Allah! Allah
has made you fulfill your obligations by returning me to them,
but Allah the Exalted has saved me from them.'

The Prophet said,

وَيْلُ أُمِّهِ مِسْعَرَ حَرْبٍ لَوْ كَانَ مَعَهُ أَحَد

Woe to his mother! What an excellent war kindler he would be, if
he only have supporters.

When Abu Basir heard this from the Prophet, he understood that
he would return him to the idolators again, so he set off until
he reached the seashore. Abu Jandal bin Suhayl also got himself
released from the disbelievers and joined Abu Basir.

Thereafter, whenever a man from Quraysh embraced Islam he would
follow Abu Basir until they formed a strong group. By Allah,
whenever they heard about a caravan of the Quraysh heading
towards Ash-Sham (Greater Syria), they stopped it, attacked and
killed the disbelievers and took their properties. The people of
Quraysh sent a message to the Prophet requesting him for the
sake of Allah and kith and kin to send for (Abu Basir and his
companions) promising that whoever among them came to the
Prophet, would be secure. So, the Prophet sent for them and
Allah the Exalted and Most Honored revealed the following Ayat,

And He it is Who has withheld their hands from you and your
hands from them in the midst of Makkah, after He had made you
victors over them. And Allah sees what you do.

They are those who disbelieved and hindered you from Al-Masjid
Al-Haram and detained the sacrificial animals, from reaching
their place of sacrifice. Had there not been believing men and
believing women whom you did not know, that you may kill and on
whose account a sin would have been committed by you without
(your) knowledge, that Allah might bring into His mercy whom He
wills -- if they had been apart, We verily, would have punished
with painful torment those of them who disbelieved.

When those who disbelieve had put in their hearts pride and
haughtiness -- the pride and haughtiness of the time of
ignorance, -- (48:24-26)

Their pride and haughtiness was that they did not confess that
Muhammad was the Prophet of Allah, refused to write, `In the
Name of Allah, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim,'
and prevented Muslims from visiting the
Ka`bah.''

This is the narration Al-Bukhari collected in the Book of
Tafsir, `Umrat
Al-Hudaybiyyah, Hajj, and so forth.

Allah is the Only One sought for help, all reliance is on Him
alone and there is no might or strength except from Allah, the
Almighty, the All-Wise.

Al-Bukhari narrated in the Book of Tafsir that Habib bin Abi
Thabit said that he went to Abu Wa'il asking him about something
and he said,

"We were at Siffin, when a
man said, `Do you not see those who call to Allah's Book?'

Ali bin Abi Talib said, `Yes.'

Sahl bin Hunayf said, `Do not feel certain in the reliability of
your own opinions! On the day of
Hudaybiyyah, the day the treaty of peace was signed
between the Prophet and idolators, had we found a chance to
fight, we would have done so.'

Umar came (to the Prophet) and said, `Are we not on the true
cause and theirs is the false cause? Are not our killed in
Paradise and theirs in the Fire?'

He said, `Yes.'

Umar said, `Why then should we be humble with regards to the
cause of our religion? Why should we go back before Allah
decides in the matter between us (between Muslims and the
idolators)?'

O
son of Al-Khattab! I am Allah's Messenger and He will never
abandon me.

Umar left while feeling angry and soon went to Abu Bakr and
said,

`O Abu Bakr!

Are we not on the true cause and they are on falsehood?'

Abu Bakr said,

`O son of Al-Khattab! He is Allah's Messenger and Allah will
never abandon him.'

Surah Al-Fath was later
revealed.'''

Al-Bukhari collected this Hadith in several other parts of his
Sahih, and so did Muslim and An-Nasa'i using various chains of
narration from Abu Wa'il, Sufyan bin Salamah, from Sahl bin
Hunayf. Some of these narrations read,

"O people! Accuse sheer opinion (of being imperfect)! On the day
Abu Jandal came, I saw myself willing to reject the command of
Allah's Messenger, had I had the chance.''

In yet another narration,

"Surah Al-Fath was revealed
and the Messenger of Allah called Umar bin Al-Khattab and
recited it to him.''

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said,

"Quraysh resorted to peace with the Prophet. Suhayl bin `Amr was
among the idolators then. The Prophet said to Ali,

اكْتُبْ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيم

Write: "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most
Merciful.''

Suhayl said, `We do not know the meaning of: In the Name of
Allah, Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim.
However, write what we do know: In Your Name, O Allah!'

The Messenger said,

اكْتُبْ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ الله

Write: "From Muhammad, Allah's Messenger,''

and Suhayl said, `If we knew that you are Allah's Messenger, we
would have followed you. However, write your name and the name
of your father.'

The Prophet said,

اكْتُبْ مِنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِالله

Write: "From Muhammad son of Abdullah.''

They set the terms with the Prophet that,

`If anyone comes from your side to us, we will not send him back
to you. If anyone from among us came to you, you send him back
to us.'

Ali said, `O Allah's Messenger! Should I write this,' and the
Prophet said,

نَعَمْ، إِنَّهُ مَنْ ذَهَبَ مِنَّا إِلَيْهِمْ فَأَبْعَدَهُ الله

Yes. Surely, those who revert from our side and go to them, then
may Allah cast them away.

Muslim also collected this Hadith.

Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin Abbas said,

"When Al-Haruriyyah rebelled, they set a separate camp for their
group. I said to them, `On the day of
Al-Hudaybiyyah, the
Messenger of Allah agreed to conduct peace with the idolators.
He said to Ali,

اكْتُبْ يَا عَلِيُّ، هذَا مَا صَالَحَ عَلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ
الله

Write, O `Ali: "These are the terms agreed to by Muhammad,
Allah's Messenger.'''

The idolators said, `If we knew that you are Allah's Messenger,
we would not have fought you.'

By Allah, Allah's Messenger is better than Ali, and the
Messenger erased his title. However, erasing his title did not
mean that he was erased from being a Prophet. Have I given you
sufficient proof in this?'

They said, `Yes.'''

Abu Dawud also collected a similar narration.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin Abbas said,

"On the day of Hudaybiyyah,
the Messenger of Allah slaughtered seventy sacrificial camels,
including a camel that belonged to Abu Jahl.

When the camel was prevented from coming to the House, she cried
just as she would cry when seeing her offspring.''

Allah
has indeed fulfilled the True Vision which He showed to His
Prophet

In a dream, the Messenger of Allah saw himself entering Makkah
and performing Tawaf around
the House. He told his Companions about this dream when he was
still in Al-Madinah.

When they went to Makkah in the year of
Al-Hudaybiyyah, none of them
doubted that the Prophet's vision would come true that year.

When the treaty of peace was conducted and they had to return to
Al-Madinah that year, being allowed to return to Makkah the next
year, some of the Companions disliked what happened. Umar bin
Al-Khattab asked about this, saying, "Haven't you told us that
we will go to the House and perform
Tawaf around it?''

The Prophet said,

بَلَى أَفَأَخْبَرْتُكَ أَنَّكَ تَأْتِيهِ عَامَكَ هذَا؟

Yes. Have I told you that you will go to it this year?

Umar said, "No.''

The Prophet said,

فَإِنَّكَ آتِيهِ وَمُطَّوِّفٌ بِه

Then you will go to it and perform
Tawaf around it.

Umar received the same answer from Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, letter
for letter.

i.e. and some of them indeed had their head hair shaved, while
some of them had their head hair shortened.

The Two Sahihs recorded that the Messenger of Allah said,

رَحِمَ اللهُ الْمُحَلِّقِين

O
Allah! Be merciful to those who have their head shaved.

The people said, "O Allah's Messenger! And (invoke Allah for)
those who get their hair cut short.''

He said,

رَحِمَ اللهُ الْمُحَلِّقِين

O
Allah! Be merciful to those who have their head shaved.

The people said, "O Allah's Messenger! And those who get their
hair cut short.''

The Prophet said,

رَحِمَ اللهُ الْمُحَلِّقِين

O
Allah! Be merciful to those who have their head shaved.

The people said, "O Allah's Messenger! And those who get their
hair cut short.''

The Prophet said (the third or the fourth time),

وَالْمُقَصِّرِين

And to those who get their hair cut short.

Allah said,

... لَا تَخَافُونَ ...

having no fear,

indicating that they will be safe and will have no fear when
they enter Makkah.

This occurred in the Umrah performed the following year, on the
seventh year of Hijrah
during the month of Dhul-Qa`dah.

When the Messenger left from
Al-Hudaybiyyah, during the month of
Dhul-Qa`dah (the sixth year
of Hijrah), he went back to
Al-Madinah. He remained in Al-Madinah during the months of
Dhul-Hijjah and
Al-Muharram. In
Safar, he marched forth to
Khyber, and Allah opened that city for him, partly by force and
partly by its people surrendering to him. Khyber was a wealthy
province that had abundant date trees and vegetation. The
Prophet hired the (defeated) Jews of Khyber to attend to a part
of its green fields and divided the province among those who
attended Al-Hudaybiyyah with
him. No one else except those Companions took part in attacking
Khyber, except Jafar bin Abi Talib, who came back with his
companions from Ethiopia. Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari and his people
also attended that battle. None of them were absent except Abu
Dujanah Simak bin Kharashah, according to Ibn Zayd. This fact is
well recorded in (the Books of) history.

The Prophet then returned to Al-Madinah. When the month of
Dhul-Qa`dah came, the
seventh year of Hijrah, the
Prophet went to Makkah for Umrah accompanied by those who were
with him at Al-Hudaybiyyah.
He resumed Ihram from
Dhul-Hulayfah and took the
sacrificial animals with him. It was said that the sacrificial
animals were sixty. The Prophet and his Companions started
reciting the Talbiyah aloud.
When they came close to Marr Az-Zahran, he sent Muhammad bin
Maslamah before him with the horses and weapons. When the
idolators saw this advance regiment, they were overwhelmed with
fear. They thought that the Messenger of Allah would attack them
and that he had betrayed the treaty that he conducted with them,
which stipulated cessation of hostilities for ten years. The
idolators went quickly to Makkah to inform its people. When the
Prophet made camp in the area of Marr Az-Zahran, where he was
close enough to see the idols that were erected all around the
Haram, he sent the weaponry,
arrows, arrow cases and spears, to the valley of Ya`jaj. He next
went on his way towards Makkah with the swords resting in their
sheaths, just as he agreed to in the peace treaty. While the
Prophet was still on the way to Makkah, the Quraysh sent Mikraz
bin Hafs who said, "O Muhammad! We never knew you to be one who
betrays his promises.''

The Prophet said, وَمَا ذَاك
Why do you say that?

Mikraz said, "You are headed towards us with the weaponry, the
arrows and the spears.''

The Prophet said,

لَمْ يَكُنْ ذلِكَ وَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا بِهِ إِلَى يَأْجَج

I
did not do that, I sent all that to the valley of Ya`jaj.

Mikraz said, "This is the way we knew you to be, trustworthy and
keeping to your promises.''

The leaders of the disbelievers left Makkah so that they would
not have to look at the Messenger of Allah and his Companions,
out of rage and anger. As for the rest of the people of Makkah,
men, women and children, they sat on the pathways and house
roofs watching the Messenger of Allah and his Companions.

The Messenger entered Makkah with his Companions while reciting
the Talbiyah. The Prophet
sent the sacrificial animals to Dhu
Tuwa while riding his camel,
Al-Qaswa', the same camel he was riding on the day of
Hudaybiyyah. Abdullah bin
Rawahah, from Al-Ansar, was holding the bridle of the Prophet's
camel and repeating this poem,

"In the Name of He, other than Whose religion there is no true
religion, In the Name of He, Whom Muhammad is His Messenger, O
children of the disbelievers, stay out of his way, For today, we
shall impose on you the fulfillment of its interpretation, Just
as we fought with you to accept its revelation, Severe fighting
that removes the heads from where they rest, And overwhelms the
companion from attending to his companion,
Ar-Rahman has sent down in
His revelation, In pages that are being recited before His
Messenger, That the best death is that which occurs in His
cause, So, O Lord, I believe in its statements.''

This story is collected from various narrations.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin Abbas said,

"When Allah's Messenger and his Companions came to Makkah, the
fever of Yathrib (Al-Madinah) had weakened and bothered them.
The idolators circulated the news that a group of people were
coming to them and that they had been weakened and bothered by
the fever of Yathrib (Al-Madinah). The idolators sat in the area
close to Al-Hijr. Allah conveyed to His Prophet what the
idolators said, so he ordered his Companions to do
Ramal in the first three
rounds, so that the idolaters witness their strength.

The Companions did Ramal the
first three rounds. He also ordered them to walk normally
between the two corners, for from there the idolators would not
be able to see them.

The Prophet did not order them to do
Ramal in all the rounds of
Tawaf out of pity for them.
The idolators commented,

`Are these the people whom you claimed were weakened by the
fever? They are stronger than so-and-so!'''

The Two Sahihs also recorded this Hadith.

In another narration,

"Allah's Messenger and his Companions came (to Makkah) on the
morning of the fourth day of
Dhul-Qa`dah. The idolators circulated the news that a
group of people was coming to them, who had been weakened by the
fever of Yathrib (Al-Madinah). So, the Prophet ordered his
Companions to do Ramal in
the first three rounds of Tawaf.
The Prophet did not order them to do
Ramal in all the rounds of
Tawaf out of pity for
them.''

Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn Abbas said,

"In the year when the Prophet came as stipulated by the peace
treaty, he said, `Perform Ramal.'
So that the idolators may witness their strength. At that time,
the idolators were watching from the area of Qu`ayqi`an.''

Ibn Abbas said,

"Allah's Messenger performed Tawaf
of the Ka`bah and the
Sa`y at
As-Safa and
Al-Marwah to show his
strength to the idolators.''

Al-Bukhari recorded that Abdullah bin Umar said,

"Allah's Messenger set out for
Umrah, but the Quraysh idolators prevented him from
reaching the Ka`bah. So, he
slaughtered his sacrifice, got his head shaved at
Al-Hudaybiyyah, agreed to a
formal pact with them that he would perform
Umrah the following year,
would not carry weapons against them, except swords and would
not stay in Makkah, except for the period they allowed.

The Prophet performed the Umrah
in the following year and entered Makkah according to the
treaty. And when he stayed for three days, the idolators ordered
him to depart, and he departed.''

He knew what you knew not, and He granted besides that a near
victory.

means, Allah the Exalted and Most Honored knew the benefit and
goodness of turning you away from Makkah and preventing you from
entering it in the year of
Al-Hudaybiyyah, He knew that which you had no knowledge
of,
فَجَعَلَ مِن دُونِ ذَلِكَ
(and He granted besides that) `before entering Makkah as you
were promised in the vision that the Prophet saw, He granted a
close victory, i.e. the treaty of peace that you conducted
between you and your idolator enemies.'

The
Good News that Muslims will conquer the Known World, and
ultimately the Entire World

Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said, while delivering the
glad tidings to the believers that the Messenger will triumph
over his enemies and the rest of the people of the earth,

He it is Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the
religion of truth,

with beneficial knowledge and righteous good deeds.

Indeed, the Islamic Shari`ah
has two factors, knowledge and deeds. The true religious
knowledge is by definition true, and the accepted Islamic acts
are by definition accepted. Therefore, the news and creed that
this religion conveys are true and its commandments are just,

... لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ ...

that He may make it superior to all religions.

i.e. all the religions of the people of the earth, Arabs and
non-Arabs alike, whether having certain ideologies or being
atheists or idolators.

... وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا
﴿٢٨﴾

And All-Sufficient is Allah as a Witness.

that Muhammad is His Messenger and that He will grant him
victory. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored has the best
knowledge.

But their description in the Injil is like a seed which
sends forth its shoot, then makes it strong, and becomes
thick and it stands straight on its stem, delighting the
sowers, that He may enrage the disbelievers with them.

Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love
Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the
disbelievers. (5:54)

This is the description of the believers; harsh with the
disbelievers, merciful and kind to the believers, angry without
smiling before the disbelievers, smiling and beaming with
pleasure before his believing brother.

You see them bowing and falling down prostrate, seeking reward
from Allah and acceptance.

Allah describes the believers as active in performing righteous
deeds and in praying, which is the best action there is, all the
while being sincere to Allah the Exalted and Most Honored in the
prayer, awaiting His generous reward alone.

Allah's best reward is Paradise that contains His bounties and
favors, abundant provisions, as well as, earning His good
pleasure that is greater than the former reward.

Allah said,

وَرِضْوَنٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ

But the greatest bliss is the acceptance by Allah. (9: 72)

The statement of Allah the Exalted next,

... سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ...

The mark of them is on their faces from the traces of
prostration.

refers to graceful appearance, according to Ibn Abbas as
reported from him by Ali bin Abi Talhah.

Mujahid and several others explained: "It means, humbleness and
reverence.''

Some said,

"The righteous good deed brings light to the heart, brightness
to the face, ampleness in provisions, and love in people's
hearts.''

The Leader of the faithful, Uthman bin Affan said,

"Everyone who hides a secret, then Allah the Exalted will either
show on his face what he's done or by the words that
accidentally slip from his mouth.''

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin Abbas said that the
Prophet said,

Verily, good conduct, graceful appearance and moderation are one
part out of twenty-five parts of Prophethood.

Abu Dawud also collected this Hadith.

Therefore, since the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them
all, had sincere intentions and righteous good deeds, all those
who looked at them liked their appearance and conduct.

Imam Malik said,

"I was told that when the Christians saw the Companions, who
conquered Ash-Sham, they commented,

`These people are, by Allah, better than the Disciples (of
`Isa) according to what has
been conveyed to us.'''

They indeed said the truth, for this
Ummah was mentioned in an
honorable way in previously revealed Scriptures. The best and
most honored members of this Ummah
are the Companions of the Messenger of Allah.

Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, praised them in previous
Books and Revelations, and this is why He said here,

... ذَلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ ...

This is their description in theTawrah,

then said,

... وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ ...

But their description in the Injil is like a seed which sends
forth its shoot
(Shat`ah)

Shat`ah
(its shoot or branch),

... فَآزَرَهُ ...

then makes it strong,

able to stand on its own,

... فَاسْتَغْلَظَ ...

and becomes thick,

youthful and long,

... فَاسْتَوَى عَلَى سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ ...

and it stands straight on its stem, delighting the sowers,

Such is the parable that describes the Companions of Allah's
Messenger. They gave the Messenger aid, support and victory,
just as the shoot hardens the plant,

... لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ ...

that He may enrage the disbelievers with them.

Relying on this Ayah, Imam Malik stated that the
Rawafid are disbelievers
because they hate the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them
all.

Malik said,

"The Companions enrage them, and according to this Ayah, he who
is enraged by the Companions is a disbeliever.''

Several scholars agreed with Malik's opinion, may Allah be
pleased with them.

There are numerous Hadiths mentioning the virtues of the
Companions and prohibiting the criticism on their mistakes. It
is sufficient that Allah the Exalted has praised them and
declared that He is pleased with them. Allah the Exalted and
Most Honored said,

Allah has promised those among them who believe and do righteous
deeds, forgiveness, (for their sins), and a mighty reward. (a
generous reward and honorable provisions).

Certainly, Allah's promise is true and shall come to pass and
will never be broken or changed.

Surely, all those who follow the guidance of the Companions, may
Allah be pleased with them all, will be similar to them.
However, the Companions have the better virtue, the obvious lead
and the perfection in character, on account of which none among
this Ummah will be able to
attain their level. May Allah be pleased with them and make them
pleased. May He place them in the gardens of
Al-Firdaws, and make it
their abode, and He indeed has done all of that.

In his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the
Messenger of Allah said,